Why Haoka became a swordsmith
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Why Haoka became a swordsmith
HAOKA, Yoshihito Swordsmith - Season 1-2 （日本語は英語の後に続きます）
https://renote.net/articles/15962（Reference site）
Haoka used to make wooden swords and played with them in his childhood, and he became interested in Japanese swords when he was in elementary school. He got a strong impression on the main character Ryo, who was making a Japanese sword, in the popular anime manga; “Kochikame - こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所”
When he was in the 2nd year of high school, he happened to watch an interview of the TV program “Ad Street Heaven - アド街天国” about the Japanese sword training dojo ran by the swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara - 吉原義人, who became his master later.
He was so shocked to find such an amazing craftsman near his home. Right after graduating from high school, Hakoka visited Yoshindo Yoshihara’s house without making an appointment. Yoshindo was pruning trees in the garden and Hakoka suddenly asked him to become his apprentice, but Yoshindo refused once. Then, he found out that one of his father’s collegues happened to be an acquaintance of Yoshindo swordsmith, so Haoka asked him to have his introduction. And finally he could receive Yoshindo’s permission to become his apprentice. Haoka said that his father’s colleague, who made his effort to introduce him, was the cousin of the author of the “Kochikame” manga, and he felt some connection.
His training started in June. Since Haoka went to Yoshindo’s dojo from his parent’s house, his life was very blessed compared with other disciples who came to Tokyo from the countryside and lived alone. At that time, there were four senior disciples and one quit after half a year, but the remaining three senior disciples all became swordsmiths later.
刀匠になろうと思ったきっかけ
幼少期の木刀作りやチャンバラ遊びが背景にあるかもしれませんが、羽岡刀匠が日本刀に興味を持ち始めたのは、小学校時代に当時の人気漫画「こち亀」（こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所）で主人公の両さんが日本刀を作るシーンが強い印象として心に残っていたそうです。
https://renote.net/articles/15962（引用サイト）
そして、高校２年生のときにTV番組「アド街天国」で「日本刀鍛錬道場」（その後師匠となる吉原義人刀匠の道場）の取材を観て、「自宅から５分ばかりのすぐ近くに、こんなにすごい人がいるのか」と衝撃を受け、高校卒業と同時に吉原義人宅にアポ無しで訪ねていきました。
ちょうどその時、義人ご本人が庭で木々の剪定をされており、いきなり弟子入りをお願いしたのですが、一度は断られています。すると父親の仕事仲間がたまたま義人刀匠と知り合いだと知り、その方を通じて弟子入りをお願いしやっと許可をいただきました。その紹介の労をとってくださった父親の仕事仲間が、「こち亀」漫画の作者の従兄弟だったことを知った時には何だか縁を感じたと羽岡刀匠は語っていました。
彼の修行は高校卒業後の６月にスタートしました。実家通い弟子であったので他の兄弟弟子のように地方から東京に出てきて一人暮らしをしながら通う他の弟子と比べると生活はとても恵まれていました。当時、兄弟子は４名居て、そのうち１名は半年で辞められましたが、残りの３名の兄弟子は全員刀匠になられたそうです。